Manager Wenger has yet to sign a contract despite the Gunners being keen to tie him down before his existing deal expires this summer.

But club captain Vermaelen says this season has proved the club is moving in the right direction and that they support the 64-year-old Frenchman, who recently reached 1,000 games in charge of the north Londoners.

Vermaelen said: “Everybody wants him to stay as long as he can. He’s been incredible what he’s done for this club, and for the players as well. We would be really happy for him signing on for a few more years.

“The spirit is unbelievable in the team. We’ve worked a lot on our team shape and everybody knows their role in the team, everybody’s working for each other and that’s because there is a great team spirit. That’s the great improvement for us this season.

“It is just the hunger in the team. Of course it was there before but the spirit is great and you can see us fighting for each other really hard.”

Wenger has already given his word to the board that he will stay, and Arsenal are confident he will sign on as he looks to finish the season on a high with the FA Cup - to end a trophy drought dating back to May 2005 - and a place in the top four to guarantee Champions League football again in 2014-15.